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Olmec Collection
Jay I. Kislak Foundation
Library of Congress
About the Collection
URL for collection description: http://www.jayikislakfoundation.org/collections_...
After millennia of American Indian hunting societies since the "Ice Age," and the eventual development of agricultural societies, the setting was ripe for the emergence of civilization in Mexico. This phenomenon occurred entirely independently of cultural evolution in the Old World. Thus, the first Olmec civilization arose, and ran its course, between 1200 and 500 B.C. (Early and Middle Preclassic). Its homeland was in the swampy rain forest region of the Gulf of Mexico, on the north side of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
Notes
Contents:

CURLED STONE JAGUAR

Mexico, Veracruz or Tabasco

Terminal Olmec

700-500 B.C.

Gray volcanic stone with traces of red cinnabar

Ht. 38 cm (15"); W. 34.5 cm (13.5"); D. 12.5 cm (5")

[F] 90.34.0.2

INCISED JADE FIGURE

Mexico; provenience unknown

Olmec culture

900-500 B.C.

Pale bluish-green jadeite

Ht. 11.8 cm (4.6")

[F] 91.121.0.1

STANDING STONE FIGURE

Mexico; provenience unknown

Olmec culture

900-500 B.C.

Mottled green and white stone

Ht. 2.7 cm (5")

[F] 91.120.0.1

STANDING FIGURE HOLDING BATON

Mexico; unknown provenience

Olmec culture

900-500 B.C.

Dark green jade

Ht. 7.6 cm (3")

[F] 93.156.0.2

UNUSUAL RECLINING STONE FIGURE

Mexico; provenience unknown

Olmec culture

900-500 B.C.

Dark green serpentine

L.9.5 cm (3.75")

[F] 84.2.0.2

SOLID SEATED MALE FIGURE

Mexico, Las Bocas

Olmec culture

1100-500 B.C.

Cream-slipped ceramic

Ht. 13.5 cm (5.4")

[F] 91.119.0.01

SOLID STANDING BABY FIGURE

Mexico, Las Bocas

Olmec culture

1100-500 B.C.

Burnished cream-slipped ceramic

Ht. 16.5 cm (6.5")

[F] 83.7.0.2

GRACEFUL BIRD-EFFIGY PENDANT

Mexico, Guerrero

Late Olmec

900-500 B.C.

White-mottled sea-green jadeite

L. 11.5 cm (4.5")

[F] 90.10.0.1

CARVED STONE MASK

Mexico; provenience unknown

Olmec culture

900-500 B.C.

Mottled greenstone

Ht. 13.3 cm (5.25")

[F] 91.120.0.2

SERPENT FINIAL FOR STILETTO

Guatemalan Pacific Coast

Izapan style

200 B.C.-A.D. 200

Fine-grained black stone

L. 7.8 cm (3")

[F] 91.164.0.1

STONE METATE WITH RELIEF TURTLE

Guatemalan Pacific Coast

Izapan style

Terminal Preclassic

200 B.C.-A.D. 200

Gray volcanic basalt

L. 31 cm (12.25"). W. 23.5 cm (9.25")

[F] 90.34.0.6

TALL STYLIZED FIGURE STANDING ON FOUR-LEGGED BENCH

Honduras

Terminal Olmec style

700-500 B.C.

Carved dark greenstone

Ht. 31 cm (12.25")

[F] 87.34.0.1

PERFORATED SHELL MASKETTE

Post-Olmec style

500-200 B.C.

Inlaid mother-of-pearl shell

Ht.8.3 cm (3.25")

[F] 91.122.0.1


Digitized Materials
13 items listed in VMA Documents and Materials database. (See more detailed list of items)
Las Bocas?: Perforated Shell Maskette
Maya: Serpent Finial for Stiletto
Maya: Stone Metate with Relief Turtle
Olmec: Carved Stone Mask
Olmec: Curled Stone Jaguar
Olmec: Graceful Bird-Effigy Pendant
Olmec: Incised Jade Figure
Olmec: Solid Seated Male Figure
Olmec: Solid Standing Baby Figure
Olmec: Standing Figure Holding Baton
Olmec: Standing Stone Figure
Olmec: Tall Stylized Figure Standing on Four-Legged Bench
Olmec: Unusual Reclining Stone Figure